ODI’s eight week blog series on Advancing Integration continues this week with a blog by, Professor Andrew Campbell of Charles Darwin University, who shares his thoughts in the blog, “How to Advance Integration in a New Political Environment.” The blog examines the theory of integration and how it is, and can, be used to shape the future.

Over the last decade, resilience thinking has been increasing in popularity and practice. The term is used to represent a consciousness to preserve the environment because of, “the dependence of the human economy on the natural world,” writes Campbell. However, major reforms take a substantial amount of time to put in place.

Despite natural disasters increasing in both frequency and intensity, response continues to be reactive, rather than proactive. Proper disaster preparation has yet to catch on, despite the many benefits.

Money is poured into responding to natural disasters, rather than properly preparing for them. This is an area where resilience thinking has fallen short. On top of that, there is a need for integration efforts to stem from both the local and national level.

Cambell proposes that the new Australian government has the perfect opportunity to become a leader in disaster risk reduction, environmental restoration, and climate change in the Asia Pacific, but is there enough motivation to do so?